Going with the Flow
by SoraHinari
Summary: Maxie is still conflicted about how he should feel and act, especially more so when a certain ex-rival stops by for a visit. (One-Shot Hardenshipping Fluff Rated T for some cursing)


**Hello everyone! Sora here! Recently I have being obsessed with these two dorks~ So... Yeah! Enjoy the following fanfiction! It is rated T for some cursing besides that nothing else involved except fluff!**

 **I do not own Pokemon blah blah neither the characters in the story, although I would love to have a derpy Camerupt ot Numel.**

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He was jealous, not that he would admit it, jealous of his cool down looks, of his chill behavior... of how he took everything so light heartedly. That alone drove Maxie crazy, he wanted to fire punch that toothy Sharpedo grin off the pirate's face... but he never could. Maxie was the great leader of team Magma! At least... he was... some months have passed since both of their teams were just disbanded without further information, Courtney had tried to reach to him some times but with no avail since the red haired ex-leader would not answer any calls or messages. Maxie was not the kind of guy to let himself be found when he did not want to be, well that was in his mind at first before listening to the bell of his front door ring.

Looking down at himself he sighed and rubbed his temples, he was waiting for a food delivery but they were at his doorstep earlier than expected. Standing up from his couch he threw his black robe on his shoulders tightening it around his thin waist and slipped on his bare feet his red warm slippers, it was early winter anyways and hell... Maxie was easily cold considering his thin frame. Combing back his red strands of hair that blocked his view Maxie cleaned his glasses with a handkerchief that kept at the side for them before steading them on his face. His ears perked up upon hearing his bell ringing two more times followed by three knocks on his dark wood infused door.

When his feet finally carried him to his door Maxie opened the door reaching for his wallet... that was until he saw a big grin plastered on a very well known tanned face. At that point his left eye twitched before banging the door closed faster than what a Camerupt can explode the crater on its back! Panting a bit Maxie rubbed his temples again before walking away from the door, but that only was some steps before the door knocked again.

"LEAVE ARCHIE!" the red head shouted but not without getting a response from the other side... of course that stupid pirate wouldn't leave and be a persistent prick!

"Hell no! Come on now Maxie! Don't let ya ladeh out here in this freezing cold!" to say that Maxie did not hear the tanned figure from the other side of his door would be a lie... cause Archie's voice was loud enough to be heard even if he was upstairs at his bedroom.

Maxie waited there... doing nothing as his red eyes looked around his house. The nicely neat apartment he had... with warm earthly tones, he even had a fireplace that was lit up his Camerupt was even out of its pokeball resting next to it with closed eyes, curled in legs and steady breaths. They were standing in the main living room that expanding in a dining room and a kitchen but had a staircase that led up to his room, a guest room and the bathroom. His gray carpets complimented the whole house... and just when he finally almost smiled at the normal silence of his house, minus the cracking of the fired up wood and the breathing of his pokemon... the land loving man heard a loud sound outside of his door like something fell. 'There is no way that outside is too cold for Archie to faint right...?' he thought to himself turning around to stare at his door... but why would he care right? The man outside was the one that started it all! It was because of him that Maxie started everything, if it was not for him Maxie would... would... he surely wouldn't have passed everything he did with Groudon... or maybe he would, maybe the jealousy and anger he had towards Archie was... just illusions played by his mind in order to excuse his actions as to not being irrational or simply crazy. Sadly for him they were, he understood that thankfully not too late... then maybe, just maybe, he could give Archie one more chance, but Maxie was too proud for that!

Well proud for giving him another chance maybe... but not proud enough to let his ex-rival out at the cold... he was worried, not that he would admit it out loud... like ever. Maxie sighed and his Camerupt opened its eyes and looked up at its master doing a low sound from the back of its throat as it was trying to ask if he was okay. Maxie smiled and nodded slightly before turning around, grabbing the door knob... thinking well before opening the door looking around and getting to finally see what was the loud sound that he heard. It was not Archie that had fainted or fell down... it was just that stupid pirate sitting down with his back on his door getting comfortable, even drinking from one paper cup from a nearby coffee shop the red haired knew all too well. He, Archie, had the nerve to sit down, getting all cozy and comfortable. In front. Of. His. Door!

Looking up the tanned pirate grinned with closed eyes as to greet his old rival. He was wearing an aqua beanie instead of his usual bandanna and instead of his tight almost always wet full body suit Archie wore a warm black vest, a blue long sleeved shirt underneath in dark blue, dark blue to black pants with dark brown hiker boots under them. He was warm, perfectly protected from the cold... Maxie almost regretted opening his door so he went to close it again but not before he felt a foot blocking it from closing. Looking up with his red eyes he met a pair of blue smiling eyes as Archie rose up his hands... the cup he was drinking from on his right one and a steaming one on his right. Rising his eye brow Maxie eyed the drinks and then the pirate.

"I swear if you think drinks will manipulate me into letting you in you have me positioned in very low standards on your caliber Archie..." said Maxie with his usual sour expression earning a chuckle from the unexpected visitor he had.

"I know it won't! But.. it's yar favorite white chocolate with black licorice and caramel, I could just leave and drink it of course... But I also went all this way, to get ya the drink, to come 'ere..." Maxie glared at Archie and tapped his foot on his carpet.

"I never asked of you to come over in the first place, or get me a drink... how did you even know what drink I like?" he asked surprised a bit on the choice of drink Archie had made.

"I went to the nearest coffee shop and asked if a dork with red hair and big black glasses comes here, when they said yeah I just told 'em to bring me whatever the heck you got these days... I ended up with this so..." Archie shrugged and laughed as Maxie looked absolutely horrified at the thought of how stupid Archie made him look at whoever was at the cafe.

Maxie did not even had the power to put up with Archie anymore... so he just gave in. Taking a step to the side Maxie rolled his eyes and sighed again shaking his head this time as well. Archie lost no time and walked inside the warm house leaving the two paper cups on the coffee table before proceeding to take off his black vest. The other male took this as an opportunity to close his door, the cold air already sipped in disturbing the fire at his fireplace as well, but his Camerupt was quick to notice and blew on it to ignite it further like before. Nodding in an approving sense Maxie walked and sat on his couch, he would not even ask how Archie found his house, he knew Archie had his ways and that was one of the things that fascinated the ex-ecoterorrist. His pale palms cupped the paper made container with his drink and brought it to his lips blowing on the hole he was supposed to drink from. Archie looked over at Maxie and smiled a bit sitting down next to him drinking from his own cup, his legs were spread as one of his hands rested on his knee, his adam apple moving up and down as the pirate finishing his drink in one go. Maxie did not even have time to drink one sip as his eyes went wide, his body jumping a bit as Archie slammed down his cup with a loud content sigh.

"You can be a tad bit more quiet about your enjoyment... Archie" Maxie rolled his eyes and finally took a sip from his warm drink. His Camerupt was looking at them but soon ignored the sounds coming from the couch and sank back down with closed eyes relaxing next to the fire, it guessed that his boss would be just fine on his own.

The pirate looked over at Maxie who was finally drinking his chocolate, the corner of his lips twitching up to a small smile Archie would swear he saw it... but for now he desired to brush it off and just scoot closer to his former enemy. Maxie for once did not question his actions, probably too absorbed on his drink at that point to even mention as to why Archie moved closer to him, that was until he felt a hand on his hair. Maxie did not have time to gel back his hair today, he was too sluggish and felt too tired for some reason to do so, probably his nightmares kept him awake, he couldn't really remember. That exact opportunity of not gel styled back red strands of hair caught Archie tempted as he started twirling one around his finger. He noticed Maxie's red eyes shooting him a glare behind his glasses, but the black haired sassy pirate chuckled and kept doing his recently found enjoyable activity. As much as it was unexpected Maxie hated to admit that it calmed him down, Archie was always warm and his touch was always gentle, even his voice was gentle deep down beyond the rusty and heavy deep tone it had. But now it was not time for Maxie to ponder about what qualities were redeeming on the other ex-ecoterrorist, it was the time to start the questions. Placing down his half finished drink, his pale hand slapped away Archie's tanned one leaving the pirate blinking with a confused face.

"Tell me Archie, why did you come here? Why visit me now? Everything is over, Groudon and Kyogre are away from our hands same with the orbs... Why waste your time to visit your old enemy over here instead of staying home close to the sea you so much love?" his question was clean, explained... but maybe it was drenched in the tiny bit of sadness. If it was, that didn't go unnoticed by Archie as he replied.

"Enemies? Hell... were we even enemies Maxie?" shrugging the pirate let his body relax backwards his head supported by the back of the couch as his blue eyes looked at Maxie at all times "I never really considered us enemies, more like rivals but... enemies? If we were enemies we would have tried to kill each other many more times even now that everything is over ya know" those two blue eyes had the blessing to see Maxie with a small smile on his face and a pink tint on his pale cheeks.

"I guess you are, not completely wrong huh? What did we plan to achieve Archie? We were crazy, nuts... No matter who achieved his goal... we would be dead... not us but everyone in the world... and it would be our fault" the ex-Magma Leader covered his face and combed back his hair, his lips pressed together and his eyes lidded halfway as he stared down at his carpet. But Archie did not stay were he was looking at all that, yes for sure he loved seeing Maxie's facial expressions but not like that. Soon the pirate sat up on his elbows and moved one seat closer to the other male, draping one arm around his shoulders, bringing him close to him into a hug as his other tanned arm went on Maxie's back to rub soothing circles.

"Calm down Maxie... Yes, everything would have be over two months ago, but we were stopped, no reason to worry 'bout that now that is over... just let yourself relax finally. Ya should be happy you know! I even came to visit you like... the good um... well friend I am I guess" Archie laughed with that stupid toothy grin of his. Hell, Maxie looked up right at that moment causing him to laugh as well, it started with small giggles before turning into a low chuckle and a full evolved laugh coming from those pale lips.

Letting their laughter die down to almost nothing Maxie looked up at Archie who smiled just as they locked their eyes. Hell without the stupid bandanna Archie was more handsome than usual, wait what? Maxie was not supposed to think like that, ever, he promised himself two years ago that he would forget everything about the pirate that he liked and he would start hating on him about everything... how conflicted Maxie was soon showed on his features since Archie cupped his pale boney cheeks with his two palms and brought their eyes back in a lock. His blue eyes filled with worry on how Maxie's red ones kept looking away from him and how his mouth was pressed in a thin line. Opening his mouth to voice his concerns he was stopped by Maxie's hand on it, clasping his lips behind the palm.

"Do not talk... just for a little bit, let me calm down and do not speak a word you stupid sea-urchin..." Maxie sighed and removed his palm rubbing his temples. His breaths were faster as he tried to calm down his nerves caused by his own self conflict... but one of them hitched as Archie grabbed him from the waist dragging him on his lap earning a gasp from Maxie instantly "What do you think you are doing?! Leave me down... right now Archie! I am the great Maxie! I am not supposed to sit on a pirate's lap and get comforted by my ex-rival!" He tried to escape but Archie's grip was too strong on his waist. Turning to face his holder, Maxie felt a pair of lips crashing on his before he could even speak again to curse him out. But the kiss was not... really unwelcome... he did not kiss back but at least he let Archie enjoy it on his part. Maxie himself was too confused as what he felt that moment or how he wanted to handle the situation... or... or if he just was over-thinking this...

"Maxie... listen to me" Archie spoke up interrupting the other man's train of thought as they looked at each other again "Just go with the flow... I know you hate the sea and all... but over-thinking every lil thing in yer life makes everything difficult and hard for you... Let yourself free and let yourself get carried on its own... you do not need to have control over everything" smiling the pirate dived in for another kiss.

Having Archie's words in his mind Maxie pondered a bit, he felt the two warm lips on his own... and soon enough he closed his eyes, wrapped his arms around Archie's strong build and sighed before kissing back. For once he felt calm even if he was not in control... for once he felt himself just free... He, the great Maxie, for once went with the flow.


End file.
